On Tuesday, Snider attended a walk-through of Tarken Ice Rink in Northeast Philly. It is the last of four city rinks that have been redone and fully enclosed, making them operational during the entire year.

The Ed Snider Youth Hockey Foundation contributed $6.5 million to match a grant from the Commonwealth’s Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program. The public/private partnership resulted in a $13 million restoration project that saved the rinks.

Here’s hoping Snider, the Flyers’ founder, is just as successful in helping NHL commissioner Gary Bettman put an end to the league’s labor dispute.

Wednesday is the 25th day of the lockout, and it’s time we heard some of the NHL owners’ voices.

There are rumblings that some owners aren’t on board with all of the decisions that are being made. If so, we need to hear from them because they might just lead to some common ground between the league and the players’ union.

Oh, almost forgot: The league says it will fine management up to $1 million if anyone speaks up. Comments are only allowed to come from Bettman or his sidekick, Bill Daly.

Earth to the NHL: That plan hasn’t worked too well.

As Flyers center Danny Briere recently pointed out, the NHL owners are highly successful in the business world and they got there by voicing their opinions.

Bettman needs to eliminate the gag order. Maybe it wouldn’t trigger a quick resolution. But maybe, just maybe, it would get both sides (finally) talking about meaningful issues at the bargaining table.

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